Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

[Seraphial]

I'm after a low(er) wattage tube amp with good ol' fashioned Marshall tone. 112 Combo is ok, I could also just go for a head. Budget - I'd rather spend less than a grand, but it would have to be pretty spectacular. Reverb not needed but preferred, would love low wattage attenuation but that might not be common, want good saturation for 80s hair metal.

Options are:

New JCM800 20w Marshall head
Marshall DSL
2nd hand Friedman runt (at a push)

Anything else I should consider? PS already have a 6505 I use for high(er) gain. Not quite Marshall, but decent.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

Marshall Mini Jubilee > Studio Classic (mini JCM800)

The two cover a lot of the same territory, but the Jubilee has more gain, a far more powerful EQ, and a foot-switchable "clean" channel if you want to use it. If not, I only recently bothered plugging a foot switch into either of my Jubilees (2555/2525H). Prior to that I'd leave it on the lead channel and roll down the guitar volume for clean tones. The 2525H has also been around a couple years longer, so they're less expensive on the used market. New they're both around $1300.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

You might also consider a used Pink Taco. Doesn't have channel switching like the Runt, but the gain tones are superb. You can find 'em for under a grand if you look around for a while. They don't come up used too often because nobody who has one ever wants to part with it.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

Jet City makes a nice 20 watt combo or head.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

I have DSL20HR. Totally happy with it.
I’m able to get all those old Marshally tones
I have swimming in my head. It has reverb,
an effects loop and two well voiced channels.
Switchable down to 10w. Will get you that 80’s
hair tone in spades. At $499 it’s a steal.

 

[Cynical]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

I love my Marshall Studio Classic. Sounds like a big amp, and is still loud enough for most applications at 20 watts. Also, easiest pinch harmonics of any amp I've ever played. Personally, I prefer the tone of the 2203/2204 over the Silver Jubilee, the Studio Classic has all the gain you'll ever need if you put a boost in front of it, and I don't need footswitchable cleans, so I'd take the Studio Classic ove the Mini Jubilee.

 

[lp1987x]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

I have the Studio Classic combo and I absolutely love it. I've tried 1/2 dozen other speakers, all twelve inches, with it and actually prefer the sound of the stock speaker. It sounds a lot like my old 2203 but without the volume. It fits my 70's and 80's hard rock playing perfectly.

The other guitar player in my band has the Silver Jubilee Studio combo. I feel it is very bright, especially with the reissue Greenback.

 

[blakejcan]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

Marshall Origin 20

simple and sounds great. Can also switch it down in wattage

 

[dystrust]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

The other guitar player in my band has the Silver Jubilee Studio combo. I feel it is very bright, especially with the reissue Greenback.

He needs to change the tubes. My Mini Jubilee came with Marshall-branded Shuguang 12AX7s in V1 & V2, a Marshall-branded JJ ECC83 in V3, and Tung-Sol EL-34B power tubes. The combination is extremely bright bordering on harsh, and only sounds vaguely like my 2555. I like a Tung-Sol 12AX7 in V1, and a Sovtek 12AX7LPS in V3. V2 is the effects loop driver and doesn't have much effect on tone. The Mini is cathode biased, so power tubes make a huge difference in overall sound. I have a set of JJ EL-34s in the power section and now it sounds shockingly close to the 2555. The tube compliment I'm using loses the Fender-like clean tones of the Tung-Sol EL-34s, but I'll take an amp that sounds like my 2555 without the obscene weight or ear-splitting volume.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Recommend me a <20w Marshall or clone

Silver Jubilee Studio combo. I feel it is very bright, especially with the reissue Greenback.

In my experience the Jubilee amps sound better through broke in V30s than they do through broke in G12M GBs. Too much top end grit in the GBs. And tighter lows in the V30s.

To the OP I think you would be happy with the SC-20H. Kinda depends on what speaker cabs you have.